DAA News Network

UK: Disabled people must chose eating or heating

Posted 02/10-10 at 17.42

Disabled people are twice as likely as non-disabled people to go without heating, food, clothes and leisure activities because of a lack of money. This is why the Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment to extend winter fuel payments (now made to people over 60) to the 1.3 million disabled people with serious impairments was so vitally important. However, going into coalition with the Tories has seen that promise drowned in the tsunami of budget cuts.

This could be a life or death issue for disabled people, many of whom are home for long periods each day, and consequently need central heating to keep warm. For example, according to the National Pensioners Convention, last winter, more than 36,700 pensioners died of cold-related illnesses.